Why Do People Clip Their Nails in Public?

There are some definite perks to living in New York City: amazing shopping, seeing Hair on Broadway, and people-watching at any sidewalk cafe. But one thing that anyone who takes the subway here has seen way, way too many times to be believed: people clipping their nails. On the subway. Letting the bits fly everywhere. And not even looking embarrassed or like this is odd behavior. Which is why I laughed out loud at local artistJason Shelowitz's Subway Etiquette posters, meant to look like official New York City subway signs, chiding people for on-train nail clipping, nose picking, and more. Though I'll certainly excuse a swipe of lipstick, I agree with what the posters say about public nail clipping: "It's crazy that this even needs to be mentioned." And proof that this is not just a New York City phenomenon: One editor here once sat at a restaurant in the Hamptons next to a woman who clipped her nails at the table.